U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson recently joined Filipino culinary personalities to spotlight the fusion of Filipino flavors and the natural sweetness of California raisins. This unique collaboration brought together James Beard Award-winning food content producer Erwan Heussaff, along with celebrated chefs Angelo Comsti and Don Baldosano, to craft a four-course meal featuring traditional Filipino dishes enhanced by the premium quality of California raisins.
The event took place on July 8 at Offbeat Bistro, a newly launched modern-retro Filipino restaurant in Makati City. The venue served as the perfect setting for an evening that merged cultural appreciation, culinary excellence, and international camaraderie through food. Ambassador Carlson emphasized this connection during her opening remarks.
“Our shared love for food brings Filipinos and Americans closer together. It’s an honor to be among such talented and passionate culinary champions to celebrate the richness and diversity of Philippine cuisine,” said Ambassador Carlson. “California raisins provide sweetness, flavor, and texture that perfectly complement traditional Filipino dishes.”
One of the highlights of the evening was the preparation of the main course, where Ambassador Carlson teamed up with Erwan Heussaff. Together, they created Steak Frites and Potato Pave with California Raisins and Roasted Eggplant Sauce. This dish showcased the richness of seared steak combined with the creamy and smoky flavor of roasted eggplant, or talong, a common Filipino household ingredient. The sauce was elevated with the natural sweetness and texture of California raisins, demonstrating how a classic Western dish can be infused with Filipino elements for a deeper, more nuanced flavor.
Heussaff also prepared an appetizer using malasugi, known locally as swordfish. The dish was elevated with coconut cream and a California raisins tapenade, bringing together fresh, oceanic flavors and rich, earthy sweetness in a single plate.
Chef Angelo Comsti’s contribution to the four-course lineup featured bacoco, or sea bream, which he paired with a kusido-style California raisins sauce. The dish took inspiration from kusido, a traditional Filipino stew celebrated for its slow-cooked, hearty flavors. The California raisins sauce not only added a new dimension of sweetness but also honored the dish’s deep cultural roots while updating it for a modern palate.
Dessert came courtesy of Chef Don Baldosano, who reimagined sorbetes, the iconic Filipino-style street ice cream. Using milk and California raisins, he offered a refined take on the nostalgic favorite, pairing it with a crisp milk tuile and a bold, burnt raisin oil. This creative dessert married traditional Filipino flavors with gourmet techniques, showcasing how local desserts can be reinterpreted in fresh and exciting ways.
The event was made possible through the collaborative support of the Raisin Administrative Committee, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Manila, and the U.S. Embassy in Manila. Their joint efforts underscored a shared commitment to culinary innovation and cultural exchange.
California raisins played a central role throughout the menu, not just as a sweet ingredient but as a versatile component that enhanced savory and sweet dishes alike. These raisins are naturally sun-dried, free of additives, and packed with fiber, antioxidants, and essential minerals. Their adaptability makes them a valuable addition to Filipino cuisine, whether used in traditional recipes or inventive new formats.
The Philippines has emerged as a key market for California raisins. In 2024, it ranked as the fifth-largest global importer of California raisin exports, amounting to Php522.5 million ($9.5 million). The United States held an impressive 80 percent share of this market, making it the leading exporter of raisins to the country. These figures reflect not only strong trade relations but also a growing appreciation among Filipinos for high-quality, healthful ingredients like California raisins.
As Filipino chefs continue to push culinary boundaries and explore international ingredients, collaborations like this one reaffirm the power of food to connect cultures. With California raisins adding depth, sweetness, and texture, the partnership between Filipino cuisine and American produce sets the stage for more creative exchanges in the future.
Below are the complete sample recipes presented during the event, highlighting the use of California raisins in each course.
Table of Contents
White Fish and Coconut Crudo with California Raisin Tapenade by Erwan Heussaff
Ingredients:
Malasugi fish, sliced thin
Sauce (Leche de Tigre):
1 cup coconut vinegar
1 ½ cup fresh coconut cream
Raisin “Tapenade”:
1 cup California raisins
½ cup sundried tomatoes
3 tbsp mustard seeds, rehydrated with coconut vinegar
1 lime zest
Garnish:
Shaved egg yolk
Annato oil
Kinchay/chive oil
White baby radish scales
Mustard seeds
Procedure:
Finely mince sundried tomatoes and California raisins, then mix with lime zest and mustard seeds. Shape the mixture into quenelles and set aside. Slice baby radish into medallions and arrange them into a scale pattern of four rows with three medallions each. Set aside.
To plate:
Lay five slices of fish flat in the center of a wide-bottom bowl and pour the leche de tigre around it. Place the pre-made scale pattern on top, followed by the quenelle of the tapenade and shaved egg yolk. Drizzle oil on the sides of the leche de tigre before serving.
Steak “Frites” and Potato Pave with California Raisins and Roasted Eggplant Sauce by Erwan Heussaff
Ingredients:
Sauce:
½ cup California raisins
7 large eggplants, charred with the skin on
1 cup beef broth, heavily reduced
1 tsp toasted peppercorns, crushed
2 tbsp fried capers
4 tbsp softened butter
Salt, to taste
Pave:
2 kg potatoes
2 cups heavy cream
⅓ cup butter
4 cloves garlic, smashed
5 sprigs thyme
Steak:
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fried capers
Pickled jicama sheets
Procedure:
Sauce:
- Burn the eggplants on an open flame until the skin is heavily charred.
- While reducing beef stock add California raisins and peppercorns to rehydrate.
- Add the eggplants to the reduced stock and blend until smooth.
- Add the butter and blend again, seasoning to taste with salt.
Pave:
- Slice the potatoes 1mm–2mm thin using a mandolin and soak them in water.
- Combine the cream, California raisins, butter, garlic, and thyme, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it sit for 20 minutes before straining out the solids and setting aside the infused cream.
- Layer the potatoes in a high-walled pan, pour the infused cream over them, and bake in the oven with another pan placed on top to weigh them down.
Steak:
Season the steak and sear it to the desired doneness.
Pan-fried Bacoco (Sea Bream) with California Raisins Kusido Sauce and Bulgur Salad by Chef Angelo Comsti
Ingredients:
½ cup California raisins
1 whole sea bream, filleted (about six pieces)
1½ cups bulgur, cooked
1 large cucumber, diced
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 small red onion, minced
⅓ cup kesong puti, crumbled
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the dressing:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 clove garlic, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the sauce:
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
2 shallots, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
½ cup California raisins, puréed with a little water
2 tbsp bagoong
3 cups fish broth, made with sea bream head and bones
2 tbsp calamansi juice
Cornstarch slurry
Procedure:
- To make the sauce, sauté the garlic, ginger, and shallots in a pan. Add the tomatoes and cook until the oil is released. Stir in the California raisins and bagoong. Pour in the fish broth and reduce by half. Add calamansi juice and season to taste. Use a slurry to thicken the sauce, then strain and set aside.
- To make the salad, toss all the ingredients in a bowl. Prepare the dressing, pour it over the salad, and set aside.
- Pan-fry the fish. On a plate, arrange the salad in the center, top it with the fish, and pour the sauce around. Serve.
California Raisins Milk Ice Cream with Milk Tuile and Burnt California Raisin Paste Oil by Chef Don Baldosano
Ingredients:
300 grams California raisins
330 grams milk
100 grams cream
7 grams agar-agar
110 grams sugar
60 grams butter
10 grams lemon juice
70 grams all-purpose flour
250 ml water
Canola oil
Procedure:
- Ice Cream: Combine the milk, cream, agar-agar, 50g sugar, and 50g of California raisins. Simmer together for 5 minutes, then allow to cool. Once cooled, blend until smooth and transfer to an ice cream machine. Churn and set aside to chill.
- Tuile: Combine the remaining sugar, 100g of finely chopped California raisins, butter, and sugar. Mix thoroughly until well combined, then bake at 170°C for 10–12 minutes.
- Jam: Gently toast the California raisins in a pan until slightly charred. Allow to cool, then add water. Simmer until the water is reduced by one-third. Blend until smooth to create a purée, then season with lemon juice.
- Oil: Slowly simmer the canola oil and the remaining California raisins together until fragrant. Blend roughly, then strain to extract the oil.
- Garnish: Place a base of crumbled tuile on the plate, followed by a scoop of ice cream with a hollow center. Fill the hollow with jam, arrange shards of tuile around the ice cream, and finish the dish with California raisin oil.
